WEAVERS OF ROUND WEBS. 



125 



How shall we reconcile or exi)lain these strange unities and diversities? 

 It might he said, in view of the numerous ohservations made by Mrs. 

 Eigonmann in California, that my own description of the Texas species, 

 which was based upon observation of a single web, was that of an abnor- 

 mal act, a freak, an accident, an individual peculiarity. When, however, 

 we see spiders of the same genus, so widely separated in their habitat, 

 I)resenting in both America and Africa on the one hand the same curious 

 habit of web decoration, and on the other the same adherence to the nor- 



Fk;. in. The orb of Acrosoma rugosa. The outline of the entire frame is shown at the right. 



mal type of snare, it seems impossible to account for the web observed by 

 me on the ground of a freak or individual peculiarity. At present I can 

 only record the facts, without venturing to suggest a theory to explain 

 them. I am not even able to say what differences, if any, may exist be- 

 tween the species which spin the several webs. Tlic difference is certainly 

 not very great. A future observer will doubtless tind a simple explanation 

 of the phenomenon ; and whatever it may be it will probably be found 

 similar to tliat wliich causes indiviihials of Argiope and Acrosoma to twist 

 and string ribbon decorations around the central j)arts of their orbs. 



